Keep our promises

Problems at VA demand systematic reform, not just grandstanding and outrage

May 26, 2014

The United States asks a great deal of the men and women who serve in our nation's military. They are deployed to some of the most dangerous places on Earth and asked to perform tasks with challenge them physically and mentally. They routinely carry out this duty with a precision and professionalism in which we can all take pride.

Just as these volunteers swear an oath to the United States, this nation pledges to care of them while in uniform and when their service is done. If Veterans Affairs has routinely and systematically broken that promise, we should channel our outrage over this disgraceful failure into energy for reform so we may do right by those who risk their lives on our behalf.

It is no secret the VA is in a state of perpetual crisis, the result of dysfunction in how it attempts to meet the health care needs of our service members. Though veterans consistently praise the treatment they receive, they often grumble about the time they spend waiting for appointments. The scheduling process, which is vague and convoluted, is often cited as the source of frustration.

Concern over delays led to investigations by the Government Accountability Office in 2000, 2005, 2007 and 2012, all concluding the department must do better to reduce its backlog of veterans awaiting care. The VA has a goal of seeing every patient within 14 days, and it evaluates facilities by how well they meet the target.

That well-intentioned accountability measure is at the heart of this current crisis. A whistleblower in Phoenix, Dr. Sam Foote, alleges the VA hospital there maintained a secret waiting list to conceal lengthy delays. Dr. Foote claims dozens many have died as a result.

These serious charges led personnel in other VA facilities — in Fort Collins, Colo.; Cheyene, Wy.; Gainesville, Fla.; and Columbia, S.C., among others — to report similar instances of cooking the books. The picture emerging is one of a systemwide failure in providing treatment to the millions of veterans who rely on the VA for health care.

The issue is cause for particular indignation in Hampton Roads, home to thousands of service members and their families. Countless men and women in this community have deployed to war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan in the past decade. We will not allow bureaucratic incompetence to jeopardize their health at home.

It is tempting to blame President Barack Obama for this mess. As commander-in-chief he is ultimately responsible. Likewise, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki is an attractive target, with many prominent veteran groups calling for his resignation.

But while accountability is certainly needed, the problems are systemic. Washington is adept at manufacturing outrage, but too often fails to transform anger into action. Yes, firing Gen. Shinseki may be warranted, but alone will not repair what's broken.

Rather, we must begin by recognizing the unprecedented challenges now facing Veterans Affairs. Mr. Obama's first year in office saw the VA receive 1 million new disability claims, a record number. His administration also expanded access to care for veterans suffering from Agent Orange exposure, an overdue change. Combined, these have placed greater demand on an overburdened system.

Like so many federal bureaucracies, the VA is painfully slow and wary of change — even when faced with nearly a million combat veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq now flooding into the system. What should have been addressed with innovation and additional resources was instead swept under the rug.

In order to live up to our obligations, Washington must take a proactive approach focused on plausible solutions rather than political grandstanding. The system must be streamlined to eliminate delays and it must make better use of technology. If the VA needs additional facilities, personnel and resources, Congress must come together to provide them.

It is one thing to say we support the troops and quite another to demonstrate it. We can spend valuable time slinging allegations and assigning blame, or we could set ourselves to the more difficult task of building a VA worthy of those who bravely served this nation.

Our service members deserve better from the VA. They deserve better from us.